‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1′ Will NOT Be 3D

Published 4 years ago
by
Ross Miller
, Updated November 19th, 2010 at 10:50 am,

We certainly didn’t see this one coming: Warner Bros. has announced that it will NOT be releasing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in 3D, despite the technology being more popular than ever.

An official announcement from WB states that the studio has decided against releasing at least the first part of Deathly Hallows in 3D because there isn’t enough time to get the post-production conversion done in time for the November 19th release date.

It appears that the studio doesn’t want to put out an inferior product by rushing the 3D (a la Clash of the Titans), and are instead interested in giving the best version possible, even if that means just releasing the film in regular old 2D.

A statement from the studio reads:

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long-anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey.”

Despite 3D arguably offering the biggest spectacle possible for theHarry Potterfranchise, I can’t be the only one overjoyed at the fact that the studio is deciding to put quality before anything else. If Clash of the Titans taught us anything, it’s that rushed 3D conversion doesn’t offer the best possible viewing experience of the format.

A representation of Clash of the Titan's bad post-conversion 3D

Deathly Hallows director, David Yates, added his own thoughts on the situation:

“For 10 years, we have worked alongside Alan Horn and the studio, whose priority has always been to preserve the integrity of Jo Rowling’s books as we have adapted them to the screen, and this decision reflects that commitment… This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first.”

At the end of the day, the 3D is just part of the reason fans may be looking forward to the final Harry Potter installments. And even if you’re still desperate for Harry Potter 3D action, then you can rest assured that the final final film, Deathly Hallows Part 2, will hit theaters in both 2D and 3D as planned. The reason for that is WB has nine months to take the time on the conversion of Part 2 to 3D.

As for Part 1, you can still enjoy it in both regular theaters and in IMAX so there’s still plenty of fantastic spectacle to go around.

The Wheel of Time. The longest fantasy epic. 14 books in total, with the last two books still to be released. 1st book came out way back in 1990. Every book is on an average 700 pages long, with a very small print. But amazing series, best I’ve read. The story is downright amazing.

Yeah, but he left extensive notes, so at least the story will be finished satisfactorily.
You’re sure to find the books easily.
Don’t wait for the movie. The books have such intricate details that the movies will never be able to do them justice. And the movies might never get completed..

I started the series about 8 months ago, after keeping the 1st book on my shelf for almost half a year. Now I’m so hooked that I order the next book before I finish the current one.. Read 7 books till now.

You’re right. It WOULD be unreal. But it will be a very difficult job, I guess.

GreaterTater 4 years ago

I would almost bet they are going to finish the 3-D adaptation and re-release it in 3-D just before the second one comes out. Kinda like they did with Dark Knight. It is not like people will not go see it and they get a bonus out of it. A big one at that because 3-D movies are fairly expensive. I don’t ever go in the afternoons, it is always morning, and it still cost me about 13 dollars. I don’t know what is costs to go to a 3-D movie after 6pm.

Those of you looking forward to this being in 3D – remember it was not SHOT in 3D, they were working on adding 3D to it after the fact – and that NEVER looks as good as films shot using stereoscopic cameras.

I hate the fact that so many movies have 3D added after the fact. If you want to make a 3D movie, shoot it using freaking 3D cameras.

I completely agree. I’m one of those who are half-half when it comes to 3D. For me, if it’s an animated movie or a movie that was shot using 3D cameras, then it might be worth it to watch in 3D just for the immersion factor. On the other hand, if it’s post-process 3D, then it’s completely NOT at all worth it because it looks like crap and they tend to over-exaggerate the 3D effects to where they become gimmicky…

For those who clamor on that it adds nothing to the movie, I sort of disagree. Look at Resident Evil 4, I actually ended up seeing it twice, first time in 2D and second time in 3D because my gf loved it so much she wanted to see it again. Personally, I didn’t really like the movie that much. The plot was very thin and it was more like a video game’s plot than a big budget movie’s plot. But to be honest, I enjoyed it a lot more the 2nd time around watching it in 3D and so did my gf. That movie, unlike 90% of the “3D” movies out there, was shot with 3D cameras, so the 3D looks awesome. Well, except that scene where she Alice lands in Alaska, in the wide angle shot of all of the abandoned planes, in the 3D viewing you can tell the planes in the background was really just a matte painting while in the 2D viewing you can’t, lol.

Of course it’s no substitute for good movie making, but why can’t we have both? Imagine if Terminator 2 was exactly the same except it was filmed with 3D cameras, are you going to say it’s a bad movie just because it’s in 3D?? 3D does not make a movie gimmicky and stupid, a bad director and screenplay writer does…

Well sadly it’s that attitude that encourages studios to continue to pump out post-3D movies that they can get the same inflated ticket prices for as those shot in 3D.

Did you see Clash of the Titans in 3D? That was TERRIBLE. Not so much the movie, but the 3D. It looked like magazine picture cutouts placed at different depths, the back of people’s heads floating separate from their faces. Awful, awful stuff.

Totally agreed, Vic. It’s got to the point where most studios (although, as evidenced by this HP news, not WB :P) have realized that they can just put out post-conversion 3D that costs WAY less and most general movie goers won’t know the difference and the studio will still make their extra few bucks a ticket. And that’s bad news for movie goers.

If they’re the studios are going to force – yes, FORCE – 3D down our throats then it should be the best tasting 3D not fast-food post-conversion crap

If shooting a movie in 3D increases their profit margin, is that really a bad thing? I personally WANT the movie studios to make more money, then we will have less of the MGM’s going out of business! I don’t mind bad movies coming out in 3D because I am not forced to go watch them, and neither are you! Let them make their money so they can keep churning out movies. Even if there’s more bad movies it’ll still allow them to make the good movies. Look at MGM, what if hypothetically you can bring see what movies they would have made have they not gone under, and you find out they were only a few years from making the best movie ever to be made, but now that they’re gone, maybe it was something none of the other studios believed in and wouldn’t finance it, now that movie will never be made. I totally don’t mind the studios making money. With all of the pirating and illegal downloading, they have to make their money one way or another and I support them. We’re all movie buffs right?

I am actually ok without 3D in this movie and the next. Someday when all the movies will be available as a box set or however they are packaged it may seem kind of odd that 8 of the movies are 2D and only the final one in 3D.

I agree with Kevin. Also, I don’t understand why they don’t try to figure out some format which enhance depth as 3D without requiring glasses. I like the 3D effects when I go to theatres but I don’t think I would like to wear glasses when I’m home.

There ia no contest between Twilight and HP. Obviously two very different series. Get it right people. And thanks to whoever decided it should stay in 2D. It will be amazing without! So no more fighting over which is better

I am still annoyed that it wont be in 3D and what it sounds like that it wont be in 3D at all. What they should do is offer it now in 2D but then when part 2 comes out or right before offer part 1 again in theaters but in 3D as well. So for those of us who want to still see it in 3D can and right after go see the next one in 3D too.

3D was the only reason I was going to see it in the theater. I can’t even guarantee I’ll see it on cable now. I started losing interest after the third movie, but I was going to watch them all preceding viewing the last two in the theater. Now I’m only going to see the final one in the theater.

aargh, i was so looking forward to the 3d version, and just found out it wasnt gonna be out, but i respect the decisions the team made, i would be pissed if it looked anything like clash of the titans, however, i think you shoulda just pushed the date back a few months, sure ppl would be mad but i think it would be worth it and there would be a lot more money made

I was really looking forward to seeing it in 3d, though I’m not sure what my opinion would have been as I haven’t watched a film in 3d yet. However, I’m an avid fan and always watch the film in the cinema within about 2 days of release anyway. And as for the suggestion of delaying it, I’m glad they didn’t as myself and others can’t wait any longer. I’d rather see a great 2d version (which I’m sure it will be). I like the suggestion of re-releasing part 1 in 3d just before part 2 is out though – that could work well.

i think it would have been great to see both done in 3d.seeing the war between hogwarts and voldermorts dark army in 3d would be something to see.hope voldermort gets whats coming to him for killing the innocent and harrys parents.

Neither of the two final films was shot in 3D. This one was released in 2D because they didn’t think they had sufficient time to do a quality post production 3D conversion. I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually they did apply the conversion process to this one and perhaps re-release it after the final one has been out for a while, maybe as some sort of promotional 3D double feature.

I hadn’t heard until just now that it wasn’t going to be in 3D and I was REALLY looking forward to seeing an entire HP film in 3D. I haven’t bothered to watch any movie on the big screen in 3D yet and so this was going to be awesome for me. I do appreciate that they want to focus on quality, but why not release Part 1 in 3D later on. I’d certainly be willing to shell out the dosh to see it again in 3D. Perhaps do a double feature with Part2? Perhaps we should suggest that to WB.

Well this is wonderful news! Now 99.99% of Harry Potter fans {including me} will be over the moon that Warner aren’t able to screw up the franchise with this awful gimmick. 3D is bad and I’m not wearing those stupid glasses anymore.

And Peta – 3D conversions look s*it.
Jax – go and see Avatar if you want a proper 3D film. It doesn’t get better than that.